Three ‘Capitol Caregivers’ Honored By AARP For Work To Make Estate Planning Easier In U.S. Virgin Islands

ST. CROIX/ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN – To honor their integral work supporting the Virgin Islands family caregivers, AARP names Former Governor Kenneth E. Mapp, Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr., and Senator Myron Jackson as the 2018 “Capitol Caregivers,” a bipartisan group of 65 elected officials from 24 states.

These leaders have advanced policies that support Virgin Islands family caregivers, who help their parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently at home and in the community—where they want to be.

“AARP thanks Former Governor Mapp, Senator Francis, and Senator Jackson for championing The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act Bill No. 32-0132 (Act 8023),” says Troy de Chabert-Schuster, State Director, and Corinne Plaskett, State President of AARP in The Virgin Islands, which serves more than 36,845 Virgin Islanders age 50 and older. “Senators Francis and Jackson, and Governor Mapp provided key leadership to pass and enact The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act in 2018 and helped make family caregivers’ big responsibilities a little bit easier.”

The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act gives Internet users the power to plan for the management and disposition of their digital assets in the same way they can make plans for their tangible property, also allowing the internet user the ability to assign a fiduciary who will be responsible for the digital assets.

A fiduciary is a trusted person with the legal authority to manage another’s property, and the duty to act in that person’s best interest. Across the Virgin Islands, more than 13,000 Virgin Islanders provide unpaid care for their older parents, spouses, children and adults with disabilities, and other loved ones.

They help with bathing and dressing, meal preparation, managing finances, transportation, grocery shopping and more.

“Every day, family caregivers provide invaluable care to their loved ones,” says Troy de Chabert-Schuster. “And they need our support.” AARP will recognize Senators Francis and Jackson, and Former Governor Mapp at an event on St. Thomas in the fourth quarter of 2019 and will present “Capitol Caregiver” certificates.

“The Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act is a step in the right direction to providing a little bit of help for family caregivers,” says de Chabert-Shuster. “AARP in The Virgin Islands will continue fighting for family caregivers and their loved ones in 2019 for: more support, help at home, better access to resources, workplace flexibility, training, relief and more.”

In 2018, Senator Myron Jackson and Senator Novelle Francis, Jr., along with Senators Brian Smith and Janelle K. Sarauw, championed Bill No. 32-0327. This was later enacted by Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. and became Act #8169.

This Bill enacts five Acts of the Uniform Law Commission and further revises the probate code in The Virgin Islands: Uniform Nonprobate Transfer Act, Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interest Act, Uniform Custodial Trust Act, Uniform Partition of Heirs Act.

This legislation is of particular benefit to the elderly, caregivers, and persons of middle and lower income.

The Author

John McCarthy

John McCarthy has been reporting on the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Caribbean region since 1989. John's articles have appeared in the BVI Beacon, St. Croix Avis, San Juan Star and Virgin Islands Daily News. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan.